Thankfully, 2021 is almost here! 2020 was a transformative year for the digital marketing space since we all had to create new ways to navigate during a pandemic. The effects of these changes will be sure to shape up some interesting trends for 2021. Here are 6 trends that our team is predicting we'll see next year.
One positive thing that came out of 2020 is that businesses, communities, and individuals helped bring more awareness to the social injustices that minorities continue to face every day in America. What does that mean for small business owners and marketers in 2021? We must stop blindly funneling down our business' offerings and marketing efforts because that is resulting in us hindering our growth.
When surveyed, 64% of people were more likely to consider, or even purchase, a product after seeing a diverse or inclusive ad. Michelle says, "We must be more inclusive. It's easy to put our heads down and blinders on as a small business owner. We get strategic and focused solely on our best-fit customer or our most profitable product/service offering. But to be more responsible and forward-thinking in 2021 and beyond, small business owners must purposefully and intentionally make inclusivity a part of any company's entire strategy, marketing included."
Video platforms like Vine and later TikTok have exploded in popularity through the years. Instagram Reels provide an outlet within the Instagram platform to offer a similar feature. Reels allow users to create fun, quirky, and entertaining video content to delight their followers. They can be used for educational purposes to explain the benefits of products or services and they can be used for more entertaining content as well.
From adding music and bold text to all the other engaging features, there's so much potential for this tool to grow. Since the Reels are integrated within Instagram, users won't have to switch apps to view the content. Influencers and businesses who haven't already established a TikTok account also wouldn't have to stress about having to rebuild their account from the ground up again since they likely have already built their Instagram base.
Lindsey adds, "It would be challenging for TikTok to compete with that amount of simplicity and synchronization. As such, I think TikTok's popularity will decrease and Reels will take their place. These bite-size creative clips are here to stay in 2021!"
COVID isn't going away; it's just changing the way we do things in our lives. Creative companies, like MootUp, will continue to push this experience and make it better. For example, they can use new devices and technology like the Oculus Quest 2. Additionally, other webinar platforms, like GoToMeeting, will start incorporating AR/VR into their offering to make attendees more engaged. This will either be done by acquisition or internal development.
Justin says, "The transition over to VR/AR will allow people to experience the human connection and I think that is what will continue to evolve the digital space and make it better. I've already attended one conference that had a VR-like component and it was very interesting to experience. Both good and ... odd."
She says, "Due to our for-profit healthcare system in America as well as the pandemic, companies and pharmacies are moving to online subscription services now more than ever. I can see all of these contact-less services still being utilized and expanded much more post-pandemic."
With a sudden—nearly total—adoption of these digital services, the technology supporting them has grown by leaps and bounds. But we're only just getting started. Jacob predicts that these virtual requirements to operate a business will only continue to grow.
He says, "Technology moves at a quick pace, and these new services are here to stay. I predict we will continue to see many innovations as the technology adapts in 2021 and beyond."
These are just a few of the many changes that 2021 will bring to the digital marketing world. As 2020 has shown us, we can never truly predict what's going to happen. But to stay as prepared as possible, be sure to keep these trends in mind when you are creating your marketing strategy for next year.
Pin this post so that you can refer to it later:
Are you ready to expand your business with eCommerce, but worry about the cost? See if our unique Vinyl FrameworkTM is the right fit for your business!